Many Loves
by Auttzthoughtz
Summary: Sherlock and John are recruited for to be a special part in the Avengers Initiative. In which Bruce is a fangirl in need of relationship help, Tony and Steve are still a budding romance, and Sherlock and John are already married. So, essentially: Johnlock, Stony, Bruce/OC. May also add another few other-fandom characters to the initiative. SLASH. Please R & R. All my love!


The Avengers were having a normal day.

Natasha and Clint were cuddled together on the sofa, very openly, watching some girly movie that Natasha openly adored and Clint secretly loved.

Bruce and Loki were trying to explain numerous concepts to Thor, as he was the last one to not understand many things of Midgard.

And, there's Steve and Tony. Frankly, the two are boiling over with sexual tension. They are always chatting, mostly arguing. They had begun dating in secret a few years ago, but they really hadn't physically done much. Steve wasn't…experienced. And, Tony wasn't going to push things in a relationship with such potential. Although, if the genius-billionaire-(ex)playboy-philanthropist was to be honest, he was becoming very sexually frustrated.

To break the day's routine, Coulson walked in. Wearing a big smile, he had two men following behind him. One was quite scrawny, tall, and attractive in a way that just could not be described well enough. The other man was a little shorter, and also attractive in his own fashion. The two were clearly linked together, despite the fact that they looked so different. Majority of the team walked up, utterly intrigued.

"Good morning team. I'd like you to meet your new members. They aren't built for the battlefield, but any abnormal cases we come across, they will be of immediate assistance." Coulson said kindly, gesturing for the men flanking him to introduce themselves.

The shorter, blonder, man stepped forward first. The taller one rolled his eyes, clearly not amused by the petty pleasantries. "Hello, I'm John Watson. We're a bit far from home here, as you can tell by my voice I'm sure. And, this wonderful man behind me is Sherlock Holmes."

"You're Sherlock Holmes…as in_** the**_ Sherlock Holmes? I've read about your cases. Online. You have a pretty excellent blog for someone who doesn't write, John. And, Sherlock, even the more boring posts on your website are fairly fascinating." Bruce asked, openly gawking.

Steve understood only part of that, but either way he was found to be watching Sherlock very closely as well. Tony rolled his eyes, not wanting Steve's attention taken away for too long. "Do you need a room, boys? I'm sure that you are just dying to do the nasty, it's been quite a long trip for you."

Tony grinned, clearly too proud of himself. John groaned, knowing what was coming from this. He looked up at Sherlock, almost begging him with expression not to do it. But, by the smirk on Sherlock's face, he could tell the detective had made up his mind.

Sherlock laughed. "Ah, well, yes, that'd be great. And, while you are at it, you should go up to your own room and shag senselessly that rather shy boyfriend of yours. He's never going to ask, you know. He's nervous, but he's also anxious. Both of you clearly want it, and you should just-"

Clint cut him off. "Wait, Tony's got a boyfriend?"

It was Bruce that asked the more pressing question. "Wait, how do you know about what the boyfriend wants?"

John shoots daggers at Sherlock with his eyes. Sherlock is just too proud of himself. Steve, however, flushes a deep shade of crimson. Eyes turn to him immediately.

"NO WAY!" Natasha said, giggling.

Tony ignored them. He looked to Steve, who was the one who was nervous to come out to the team, and grasped his large hands. "Hey, are you okay?" Steve nodded slowly, trying to process it. "Steve, honey, do you want to talk more about this? Maybe upstairs?"

Steve's expression changed immediately, laughing a bit. "Subtle way of asking if he's right, Tony."

Tony cleared his throat. "Well…I was just curious because we haven't really talked much about it for months and I don't really know your-"

"Can we maybe talk about this later, when we aren't surrounded by our entire team?" Steve asked, still blushing profusely.

Sherlock scoffed. "That means I was right."

John hit him on the arm. "You can't just out people like that. It's not polite."

"When have I ever been polite?" Sherlock asked, smirking. "Anyhow, if any of the others wish to have that party trick used on them, just make fun of me or let me know. Later, though. I hear there is a very impressive lab here."

Bruce smiled. "It belongs to me, pretty much. I can take you for a look at it, if you'd like?"

Sherlock looked down at John, clearly asking permission. John chuckled. "Just make sure Sherlock doesn't blow up the building, alright?" Bruce nodded, laughing now as well. Sherlock smiled, leaning down to kiss John once on the cheek before running off with Bruce to the lab.

Once they left the room, John turned to Steve and Tony. "I'm sorry to say, he is always like that. I'm really the only one that tends to understand and enjoy him enough to look past it."

Tony shrugged. "He's not so bad."

Thor smiled, finally coming in from the other room with Loki. "I NOW UNDERSTAND THIS OVEN, I'VE MADE CHICKEN!"

"No, Thor, you didn't. You simply fried a chicken-like oven mitt. We have to teach you better…" Loki said, groaning. He looked over, spotting the new face. "Hello, sorry about the smell, I'm Loki."

John smiled, gladly taking Loki's hand and shaking it politely. "John. And, honestly, Sherlock's experiments have been much worse before."

"Sherlock's the husband then?" Loki said, smiling. "I was about to say…I was wondering about the ring."

With that, Thor gave him a confused look. "WHY DO YOU WONDER ABOUT THE RING? DO YOU NOT LIKE YOURS ENOUGH?" Thor practically boomed.

Loki chuckled. "It wasn't the ring itself. It was the inscription that caught my eye."

John smiled gently, looking down to admire his wedding ring. "It's an old story. Sherlock and I were on a case, and he spat at both Lestrade and I that he didn't have any friends. I ran off when he said that, obviously upset. It took a few hours for him to find me, and he told me that he didn't have friends. That he only had one. That's why my ring has 'I only have one' inscribed on it. Sherlock's is identical to mine. I think it's just one of those moments that stuck."

"Were you together, back then?" Steve asked somewhat bashfully.

John shook his head. "I was in denial. Not unlike you right now, no offence meant. I just…I wasn't sure how to describe what I was feeling. I wanted to be what I thought I was, and not let my life get turned around completely for some man I had just met. But, I think, if I could go back, I would've just started dating him then. It wouldn't have been easier having lost him for three years after…"

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Three years?"

"Sherlock had to fake his death for the purposes of his three friends that Moriarty threatened to kill. He had to stay 'dead' for the amount of time it took him to wipe out, with the help of his brother's resources, Moriarty's whole criminal network. It wasn't until it was safe that he was able to come back home." John said far too quickly.

"He never let you know? Like, ever? He's a smart enough guy, couldn't have he given you some kind of clue?" Tony asked as he looked over at Steve. The super soldier seemed to be imagining the same thing happening in their relationship, and it wasn't putting a pretty shade to his features.

John laughed. "That's what I said too. He wasn't at all surprised when I punched him in the face for that reason. I think he nearly keeled though when I kissed him…and I think that's all I need to tell for now."

Steve had one more question. "You think that it would have been better if you had settled on being together earlier?"

John shook his head. "I think the way it turned out with Sherlock and I…it was the way that it needed to turn out. I wouldn't trade for the world the collection of postcards he brought home for me to show me all the places he had to go to make sure I was safe, or the life that I have made with him now. It doesn't matter how I got there." John took a deep breath. "However, I think Sherlock is right in your case. I mean, not necessarily about the sex thing, that's neither his business nor my own. But…it'd be better to make things work when you can. You don't want to wait until it's too late to make things start working the way you want them to."

Tony looked at Steve anxiously. "Do you think we could talk about it?"

"Upstairs." Steve said, not even trying to hide the fact that they were going to be doing more than talking with the tone of his voice. He looked cautiously over to John. "Will you be alright down here alone?"

Thor scoffed. "ALONE? HE HAS FRIENDS HERE!"

John shrugged. Loki smiled. "Maybe you know how to make tea properly, and can teach Thor how to do so without taking down an entire kitchen."

John laughed heartily as they moved over into the kitchen, trying to teach Thor slowly again about how the kitchen appliances work. And, most definitely, that the hammer was not allowed in the kitchen.

Sherlock seemed fascinated for a few minutes by Bruce's laboratory, and they had started plotting a few experiment ideas before Sherlock decided that he needed to take a seat in the middle of the floor. Seeing no reason why not to, Bruce came and sat beside Sherlock.

"I know you can't be with anyone intimately," Sherlock said softly. "I'm sorry that people talk about their petty relationship issues so much. It must bother you."

Bruce looked startled. "How did you-?"

"It makes sense that there is an emotional imbalance with the Hulk that causes your emotions to confuse with each other. One of the most common ones in your case, I can tell, is that your body tends to connect the feeling of anger and excitement…which does no good when you are trying to be intimate with another person." Sherlock said slowly, trying to make sure Bruce understood.

"There's nothing I can do about it, and everyone else has the ability to be happy. Why dwell on the issue? It's not that big of a deal." Bruce said hesitantly.

Sherlock sighed. "I used to say that too."

"Are you about to tell me that you turn into some kind of rage monster too? Like, what is it? Is it some kind of dragon that wears your scarf?" Bruce chuckled.

Sherlock shook his head. "No, I just, I don't…I didn't understand emotion. I never thought there was a use for real emotion, as it just tends to slow people down. I isolated myself for a while, determined not to let anything hurt me or let anyone in."

Sherlock sighed. "And then there was John. He was just…strange. He kept me grounded, he helped me learn things about myself and about social procedure that I should have known for years…he was everything. And I didn't know how to handle it. I didn't understand my emotions at all. I especially didn't really understand why it hurt so much to spend three years away from him. Then, when I got home, and he kissed me…I just…things finally clicked together. I didn't want something like that, ever. But…it was just him."

Bruce smiled. "So, what's that got to do with me?"

"I think you are like me a bit. You get too lost in trying not to feel powerful emotions, and you feel as if they aren't worthwhile enough to take the risk," Sherlock said quickly. "Granted, your risk with feelings is much bigger than mine. However, I hope to help you."

"How?"

"I think if we could work with some chemicals to balance the concentrations from one emotion to the next, using modern drugs for mood-exchange as a base model, we could eventually find a way for you to keep your emotions separated enough that there is virtually no risk in having a stable and functional relationship." Sherlock said, smiling.

"You'd help me do that? Why?" Bruce asked nervously.

Sherlock sighed. "Because I think if I deserve to have romance in my life, as demented as I am…I believe that a regular doctor with anger issues should be able to have the chance too."

Bruce nodded. "Thank you, in advance."

"Do you want to start work now?" Sherlock asked, almost a bit unsurely.

Bruce smiled. "No, I think you should go spend some time with John first. I can tell you are having a bit of separation anxiety. Maybe tomorrow, if you can get out of bed?"

Sherlock smiled brightly, nodding. "Absolutely."

When Tony and Steve reached Tony's bedroom upstairs, it was barely after they closed the door behind them that they kept restraint. Steve leaned down, reached his hand to tangle his fingers in Tony's hair. He used the other hand to fasten around the waist of the other man and positively smashed their lips together.

It was a while of wandering hands and passionate kisses before Tony yanked himself back, desperate for answers. "You-"

"I know I was scared," Steve said hesitantly. "I know I didn't want to come out with our relationship because I was scared of what people would think. But you know what?"

Tony raised his eyebrow, both curious and intrigued. "What?"

"I'm getting a little tired of tip-toeing around people. Don't get me wrong, I still am the same kid that would throw himself on an explosive to save a stranger. I just…I think that if I can be that for other people, they should cut me some slack and let me have a life too." Steve said, grinning madly. "I don't know about you, but I think it's about time I be a little selfish…if that's okay with you."

Tony's smile spread from ear to ear. "Steve, absolutely, 100%, I…shit, I can't think straight when you're pressed up against me like this—pun absolutely intended-and I don't know what I can say but yes. At least that solves the whole ability for you to come out and be public with me and love the idea. But, now, I gotta ask…what happened to the whole '70-something year-old virgin and waiting till marriage' thing? Which, I will admit is frustrating…a lot of the time. But, I just, I'm curious."

"You never might have thought it was frustrating for me too, huh?" Steve said, smile bright on his face. "I mean, you don't make it easy. Some nights I'm just dying to just give up on all that moral stuff and just throw you on the bed and-"

Tony looked utterly amused, and Steve had to stop himself before his brain let him get too carried away. Also, the possibility of his brain losing most of its blood temporarily was coming, and he needed to finish talking first. "I just want you. All of you, that is. I don't want to wait until you have to go away for years on mission, or one of us gets seriously hurt in battle, or something really bad happens before we get to have everything together."

"Are you saying you want to…you know, throw me on the bed and stuff this instant?" Tony said, smirking. Steve nodded, waiting for another response before moving forward with anything else.

Tony sighed. "Well, I know that I am going to regret this later, because God…seriously that sounds so good right now and I just really need—shit I need to stop thinking like that before I lose my nerve."

Steve furrowed his brow, confused. He let loose on his embrace on Tony a bit, and Tony turned away and went to go sift around his room. "Tony, what is it?"

"I mean, we've been going out for a long time. Like, a really long time. And I know you said you didn't want to rush me or anything. And I was going to try and wait until you were ready to go public first, but on the other hand I really was starting to get impatient and I started planning to ask you to go away in a couple of weeks so I could do this." Tony said, sifting through his drawers.

"Tony?" Steve asked, trying to figure out with one word if Tony was going where he thought he was with this.

Tony finally stopped sifting, his hand coiling around a small felt box. He walked up to Steve, holding the closed box in his hands and toying with it as he spoke. "I'm never really good with these things, you know. The emotional things, I mean. You of all people know that. And, the fact that you have put up with that and so much more with me is miraculous. You're the only person that can deal with me, and you are the only person I can really tolerate sticking around me. In fact, I don't know what I would do without you. Imagining that is far too painful. I…I love you, Steve Rogers. Please, pretty please with a cherry on top, will you marry me?"

Steve couldn't stop smiling. He was also crying a bit, happy tears of course. "Yes, Tony. Of course I will marry you."

Tony leaned forward and captured Steve's lips with his own once, softly. When he pulled away, he handed over the little felt box. "I don't know if you will like this. I had it made…well I made it, special. If you don't though…we'll go to the store and get you one of those normal ones."

Steve was confused for a moment, until he opened the box and saw it. The ring was white-gold all the way round, which was very normal. But it was the glaring blue light from the center of it that made Steve's face light up. He looked up at Tony.

Tony smiled back at him. "I made it, you know, so in case we ever are apart—I know our job has nasty glitches like that, which I hope don't happen often—you can see it and it will remind you of me. It's actually got a piece of the same material that keeps me from, well, dying inside. I'm glad that, assuming I hope correctly by that smile on your face, that you like it."

"I love it," Steve said softly. He put his hand out to Tony, smirking. "Will you put it on for me?"

Tony nodded, and grabbed the ring out of the box and slipped it carefully onto Steve's finger. He gazed for a moment at it in awe, then back up to his husband-to-be.

Tony laughed. "Now, I know this is the sucky part for me, but I figure you are going to want to wait till after the wedding now. That of course is fine with me. It will be soon anyhow and I know that it means so much to you."

Steve too laughed, bringing Tony into his arms none-so-gently. "That's too bad. Because, I was really looking forward to throwing you on the bed and having my way with you until you are practically screaming my name. But if you want to wait now-"

"Fuck it all to hell…please can you just stop teasing unless you are going to do something about it?" Tony said, practically whining as Steve ground their hips together and began working on his neck.

Steve looked up, smirking deviously. "Of course."

With that, he started ushering Tony backwards, towards the bed.

Sherlock ran downstairs, getting ready to happily whisk away his husband to whatever room they could get their hands on. However, as he walks downstairs, he finds that there had been some kind of fire in the kitchen. Or, at least, something fused out. There was smoke everywhere.

"JOHN?" Sherlock yelled, fairly worried.

John came stumbling out, laughing. "Sherlock! Oh, hello, it's nice to see you so soon. No worries, nothing more dangerous than your experiments at the flat. Thor here was just trying to make tea."

"I DID MAKE TEA!" Thor boomed as he too emerged from the clouds of smoke.

Loki followed after, sighing. "No, Thor, you didn't. If you hadn't used your hammer on the kettle, maybe you may have had tea right now."

"BUT IT WAS WORKING TOO SLOWLY!" Thor said none-more-softly.

Loki shook his head. John interjected. "It had only been two minutes. It would have been ready any second."

Sherlock smiled, approaching the blonde god and patting him on the shoulder. "I agree with him. Two minutes is far too long to wait for tea."

"Sherlock, this isn't helping-" Loki attempted to interject.

Thor smiled brightly. "I LIKE THIS NEW FRIEND."

"Maybe you just bring him to a coffee shop or something?" John said quietly to Loki.

Loki nodded. "Thor, how about we just go out for some tea?"

Thor looked a bit confused, but he nodded along anyways, obviously intrigued with the idea. He looked back to Sherlock and John. "Will you be joining us, new friends?"

Sherlock shook his head. "I'd actually like some time alone with John, if that'd be okay. We'll come along another time."

Thor flashed them a beaming smile. He winked at them. "Have good alone time, like the ones upstairs!"

Loki shook his head. He mouthed 'sorry' to them as he escorted Thor out the door.

John laughed. "That was amusing. It's good to know you're not the only one that can make that big a mess."

"John, I believe that obnoxious one was right." Sherlock said quickly.

John smiled brightly. "Really?"

"Yes. I was on the verge of a very spectacular, ground-breaking experiment's beginning. But, you see, I think that I couldn't help but prioritize-" Sherlock paused, feeling odd saying it.

"Are you saying that you are prioritizing me, so you want to go upstairs to a room and shag this instant?" John said, clearly amused.

"Are you amenable?" Sherlock said, smirking as he held out his hand to John.

"Oh, God, yes," John replied, and they ran upstairs in search of a spare bedroom for them.

**Author's Note: I know this is another fic on top of the many I have in progress. I write when I am inspired to write and I try my best to keep up when I can. I must apologize to those who have been waiting on my other fics to update, because I've been having trouble getting everything updated.**

**However, on a more positive note, I am quite excited about this story. I have some ideas of where to go next, and this could turn into a fic with at least a few chapters. Please review and comment and let me know whether or not I should bother continuing with this story that I absolutely love to bits! **

**Thank you to all my lovely readers!**


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